Funny you should ask that because Patrick emailed us only the other day. He shipped his boat to Melbourne and is undertaking a refit. You can check his website out here: patrickjslevin.wixsite.com/sailingmaia

+Greg Jones [Liz] Yes, that's how we feel! I've always been someone to jump straight in, or to snatch any new opportunity that falls in my path--not always sensible, but usually illuminating in one way or another!

[Liz] Go for it! Sailing is the last freedom! :)

If I may be so bold as to offer an opinion on new boats - you'll find standard spec on new boats is woeful. I would personally recommend a vessel that is a few years old so that all the 'toys' are installed and the VAT paid. Hope this helps.

Who inspired you guys? Long before we even thought of it we were listening to FTB podcasts. Avidly. Thanks Jamie and Liz! If I knew how to do it I'd put a poll up to find out how many folks have been inspired by FTB.

i have been watching FTB now for about a year. but i am also big fans of. most of the KZfaq channels like Drake Paragon, Delos, and untie the lines. i to now have a channel so maybe i can help someone get out here and live there dream... come on out the whether is great......

Thanks guys. I've watched a couple of your videos. Keep up the good work and keep living the dream.

+Jeff Cremer [Liz] Brilliant news, Jeff, I'm sure you won't regret the decision. Peace and fair winds!

It doesn't work for everyone but if you can maintain some kind of income whilst sailing it will help, obviously. Would you have an opportunity to sell your home and purchase something smaller that you could rent out, for example? You do need to have spare cash to afford the ongoing costs of boat maintenance. These can be minimised by keeping the boat as simple as possible (from rigging to electrics). Our boat, for example, is an over-rigged ketch-cutter, so our re-rigging bills are far higher than, say, a cat of the same size (or bigger). The subject of partners not wanting to share the dream is a contentious issue and something we come across often. The best thing is to introduce them to the idea gently. Take day sails in clement weather to comfortable and interesting locations. Whet their appetite with the romantic and fun side of sailing so that they're comfortable. Ultimately, however, you can't force someone into doing something they really don't want to do and you might have to compromise. Good luck and fair winds to you, Nick.

Thanks so much for the kind words and encouragement! I do have my work cut out for me, in terms of being in-sync with my family on this endeavor. Only time will tell if I am successful. Compromise is the keyword to making this all happen and be an enjoyable, lifelong experience for all. I am currently in the process of moving my vessel to a home port in the Newport, RI area that will allow me to have mini excursions throughout that region and wet my family's appetite a bit further. So, my plan going forward is to sail as much as possible with the family, continue on my path of downsizing my daily life in terms of tangible assets, and at some point just DO IT! You can plan, plan, plan ... but, until you take that step forward you really won't know until you try. :-)

Brilliant!

Cheers, Ben. I've asked Patrick to check out the comments later. Good luck with your own plans and fair winds to you.

Hi Ben. I was in a very similar situation - a daughter to support through her education years, and financial savings to accumulate in order to fund this life change. You have to ask yourself - how much is enough? I probably don't have enough to do this indefinitely, but am enjoying (mostly) the life on board. 25 - 30 knot winds inside the marina at the moment aren't enjoyable!

Hey Star tech, we try to be as informative as possible. Our Patreons, however, get access to more info and special videos that we don't publish publicly ;)

Michel you don't need to know how to sail, I realize it's probably the same as saying 'just jump in the pool you don't need to know how to swim' (stopped my dad many yrs ago when he built & launched a 41 ft tri) Go to your nearest yacht club - big boats - and offer to crew the Wed or Fri night races, EVERY boat is looking for crew! They want crew to just commit to crew every week, they will train you! Heck pulling a rope isn't hard, the skipper says when to pull, let go a bit, winch in a bit etc, all he wants is some one to sit there to do it - skippers run the boat NOT the crew, so it is an easy way to learn, 19th hole is always a great finish line too.... and the stories (none of them true!) hahahahaha... So, check out your club, you need not even be a member early on, see if you like sailing, there will be times sailing that or others boats, cruising around will be offered, making great life long friends in to process is another benefit too. Heck you may even find a great yacht to buy within the club, and know some history of it or others in the club may know of. So, at 56 yrs old ur a young punk hahahahahaha.... I'm 62 and still rockin & rollin, building the boat from scratch, sell her and buy something all ready to cruise off into. ("ready"? - wishful thunking) I have heard from 1st hand experience where there are lost dreams, those that built there boat only to ditch it at the 1st port of call in the South Pacific. Fiji & Indonesia in some places are 2 I know of, now these boats probably have been left a while, so may need lottsa TLC ($$) but with lots of haggling, purchased at a very very reasonable price..... That's my next port of call when on holiday asap when boat #1 launched, few fishing trips and sold.

+daedster1 thanks for the advice

[Liz] I agree with +daedster1 When we started this life our experience was limited, I had only a basic certificate of sailing and hardly any experience, I was in my 40s. Jamie was younger and had taken up sailing a couple of years before me, learning by volunteering as crew on yacht deliveries. SY Esper was our first boat, so we learned as we went along. To be honest it's not rocket science, and common sense plays a large part. I wouldn't recommend crossing oceans to begin with, but try some day coastal cruising to learn basic seamanship. Undertaking a few sailing courses and joining a local club is a good idea too. Having said that, the biggest leap for me was opting out of 'normal' life into this gypsy life. You give up a lot of what you considered 'necessities'--mostly materialistic notions of what you 'need'--and learn to live with less. If we hadn't had a yearning to sail, Jamie and I would also have gone down the RV route because travelling is almost the bigger part of it for us.

[Jamie] Hi Kristine. On our boat we tend to avoid the pink jobs and blue jobs. It's quite equal aboard Esper. Although I end up doing much of the engine maintenance, Liz does get involved. I appreciate her patience in being able to read an instruction manual for starters! There are courses you can do too, like basic diesel engine maintenance. That kind of thing is worth doing just to whet your appetite, but many of the ongoing concerns are learnt along the way. For example, I had no idea how to install and maintain a watermaker, but the people we bought our water maker from provided an introductory course. After that you're on your own with a spanner in one hand and a manual in the other. Sharing jobs really helps people like us who aren't particularly mechanically minded. Part of it is building confidence in being able to say 'you know what? I CAN do this'. Compartmentalise the problem and it's halved already. Every boat is different, it's about learning your own boat. After ten years aboard I can tell you the learning never stops, and that's half the fun of it.

Got it in one .

yup.

[Liz] Glad to hear it! Get the chores out of the way, and we'll see you on the big blue. Fair winds!

Make the change!

Glad you found it useful, Duncan. Patrick is a very considered person.

[Jamie] Hi Rick. I'm sure most people (not just women) would prefer to share those experiences together. The problem is finding someone you're comfortable sharing a small space with, someone who loves sailing as much as you do, and someone you share goals and interests with. I know I'd struggle with this lifestyle without Liz.

No doubt. Cruising would seem to me like something that would make a couple strong and dependent on each other, assuming you share the love of sailing. I enjoy your vids by the way.

We're not familiar with the Aussie market, Mark, but the one piece of advise we would give is to save one quarter of your budget for extras. When you move on to the boat you might find you'll want solar panels, to recondition the engine, new sails etc. Don't blow your entire budget on the boat, save a bit back as a cushion. Good luck!

Sorry, one other thing I would ask is: why a new boat? The second hand scene is huge and it's a buyers market. You'll get a much better deal with a second-hand boat and probably get something with more gear on it too. I think you'll get more for your money with a 'new' used boat (something under five years old).

Jamie is right, when You buy used boat (not too old so that You don't have to start refitting it straight away) You get thousands €:s worth of equipment for free. If You buy new boat You have to acquire them Your self. And the used boat has been tested, there are no factory faults anymore.

+Erkut Gurun [Liz] I know people who have done just what you say. You can always find crew (word of mouth, Crewseekers etc) so don't rush in to fill time partnership till you're ready. Living the dream!

+Go2 SherlockIt [Liz] As soon as we made the decision, we knew it was right, and that was two years before we moved on board! Peace and fair winds!

Keep moving forward, Matthew! Fair winds, and hope to catch you on the high seas one day!

Hi Darren. I reckon 500 quid is enough to be getting on with, though it is a difficult question to answer. We choose not to stay in marinas if we can help it and that's a big help. Plenty of safe anchorages here. Do a couple of big shops to provision for the month and you've got beer money left over. The main problem is when you get hit by something big, like our engine for example. Helps to be able to do things yourself but sometimes these large outgoings are unavoidable.

Thanks Jamie, I think you may have just nudged me much closer to a very big decision :)

Glad we can help you spend all your money, Darren ;)

Darren I just read a cost break down in Cruising mag (Australia) this wk end, very well broken down, their budget came to $AUD1255 an week, they were top end cruisers & included a trip home once a yr etc, so, you 500 quid would stack up very well. If you have some trade skills, that could come in handy to top up the kitty as you visit places, either on boats or ashore, have some tools aboard, cordless tools are great. Keep out of marinas, restaurants, nite spots etc and your $$ will go far. I reckon you probably don't spend much on anything but the boat, so that's good training! - stop spending on the boat - it's just a hole in the ocean you pour money into in'it?

[Liz] I don't think age matters. If you have the desire, will and wherewithall why not at 21?!

We think that's bloody brilliant! Why not? What's stopping you? Go for it!

This is the edited version of course ;)

Good work, David. Any boat will do, as long as you're comfortable and happy on her.

Seconded. Try this book: www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwif7cydw5nOAhVL2hoKHa6yAnAQFggeMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2FGet-Real-Gone-Become-Forever-ebook%2Fdp%2FB012BYBDD0&usg=AFQjCNHBHYMOfqEIIBhjE_7V0i0pA3Ykag&sig2=jzkNUiB7vq3PXOE1YIwuKg but base the ideas on your own budget.

Hi David, As another Tasmanian!! (it didn't show in the video did it? :-) ) you are in some of the best sailing waters I have seen. I still have a small trailable yacht in Kettering but unfortunately don't get down to it often enough. (my profile pic was taken on board it) Plenty of yachts to choose from down in Tas, but prices may be better on the mainland. I'm currently in Mackay and yachts here are definitely cheaper than Hobart.

Hi Mal, nice to hear from you and good to see that another ex Tassie guy is Following the Boat.!! :). I know George Town very well. I am based in Hobart, and so hence also a member of the Cruising Yacht club of Tassie. The East Coast and the islands up in Bass Straight sure are a fantastic area to go cruising. All the very best, fair winds and following seas for your passage back on your 'new' Cat. She sure looks superb. My aims for my first boat are a little more modest, but nethertheless I do want to get the best I can for what I can afford and hopefully handle well. I am thinking about checking out this Duncanson. I know it is a bit on the older side than I really would like, but if its ok, in terms of hull condition, rigging etc. Perhaps it could be good for a starter boat. I am familiar with the good solid reputation of Duncs, and a '35 is perhaps a good size in that respect. From checking out other boats listed on Yachthub I know there is plenty more choice. The problem down here is that it is really very limited. So in the end I still might need to go to the mainland for that boat. www.boatsalestas.com.au/sail-monohulls/duncanson-35-sara-ii/182410/

Patrick Slevin Hi Patrick, Good to hear from you and another Tassie sailor. No 'fraid not re showing up as you being a Tassie guy. But you are absolutely right about Tassie being a great place for cruising. I have been getting out on the waters as much as I can and will continue to do so at every opportunity I can. It sure is a buyer's market for boats at the moment. Price's seem to be a little elevated in Tassie in comparison to the mainland and from my perspective in terms of what I am looking for choice is a bit limited, so in the long run if I can't find what I want here, I will have to look to the mainland. Yachthub is a great resource for that. One boat I would like to have a good look at is this Duncanson '35. It is a bit on the older side in comparison to what I really would like, (hence would wish to be convinced its hull is sound (no osmosis) and that the rigging and coms are ok. etc. But it could be a good option, especially if there is a little more negotiation room. www.boatsalestas.com.au/sail-monohulls/duncanson-35-sara-ii/182410/

In a nutshell, we went for the Oyster because we got her for a great price, and she was our fave boat at the time. We actually put an offer in on another boat that fell through after paying the deposit so it worked out well for us. If I was looking now I'd have no problem with steel boats, there just weren't any in the UK when we were looking at the time (or at least none that fell into our criteria). Alu I'm more cautious of, simply from an electrolysis PoV. There are plenty of great alu boats out there though and every type of material has its pros and cons.

Cheers guys, living in Perth Aus we have to travel to look at yachts. Have you come across a good selection and well priced yachts in Asia, or do you think Europe is the way to go.

Asia, definitely Asia. There are a lot of boats for sale here and you can get yourself a bargain if you look hard enough.

Hi Kate, I'm in Perth too, Came across a guy when I was 4WD'ing a world tour of Sth West W.A., we got to talking about sailing the Sth Seas..... He often traveled to Indonesia buying stuff and so got to talk about these boat building yards there that built beautiful yachts of very type, and smaller lots where expats would hire local craftsmen to build their boat, also saying that these owners had to stay on site to keep the momentum going as the local tradies would often slack off, anyway, he was saying there are lots of unfinished dreams there, building had stopped for quite some time, he was guessing that perhaps the owners had either run out of money or life had taken them elsewhere, thus making for a rather good looking potential buy, I have as yet to look of these yards, I have a boat to finish & launch, and sell for a cruiser..... nuther story.

Also, I was wondering what would I have to go through legally? I'm a citizen of America, but grew up and am currently living in Russia. :) (And I'm a minor)

[Liz] You have a long way to go if you have no sailing experience or a boat. Have a watch of two of our vlogs for more information "What is the best liveaboard boat?" link: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mZefZrWYu9S3Y6s.html&list=PLoE3FmplhAXMaLeNfYaBL1M5_4VbnmKbP&index=2 and "How we became liveaboard cruisers" link: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jLtdh6Sk17yaeY0.html&list=PLoE3FmplhAXMaLeNfYaBL1M5_4VbnmKbP&index=3 Your age is not a barrier, but experience and funding might mean you have to postpone for a year or two. Why not try being crew for other people first? You won't know if you like it until you try it. Peace and fair winds!

[Liz] Not sure what the legal requirements are, but sounds like you will need permission from your parents/legal guardian.

[Liz] We've only made it to 10 years so far, long way to catch you up yet! Esper is 43 ft, and is full of stuff--mostly spares of this and that! But I know people with bigger boats who don't have enough room. Boat's are like handbags, always full; crap expands to fit its container. We agree on minimising electronics. One of the first things we pulled out was the electric flushing system in the heads--nothing wrong with a bit of arm power. Our winches are all manual. Our new engine doesn't require a computer if it fails, just a spanner and some grease. But the watermaker frees us from having to wait for rain (sometimes it can be months in some of the areas we have sailed) or diverting to an anchorage.

Nature abhors a vacuum! We've been off the boat for a while, but are looking to retirement aboard. For me there are only a few things I consider mandatory. First, an integrated navigation system. I want all the parts to communicate with each other. Next, an electric anchor windlass. Can I pull up 150' of chain? Yes. Do I want to? Mm, no. I'm with you on the engine, 100%. And also the water maker. Agree on the head, also. I guess the bottom line is to have backups for anything electrical, but don't over do it so you're a floating chandlery! Thanks for the videos!

Hi, very interesting I been looking at 28 foot for a 6 month liveaboard yearly. The Moody seems quite spacious any input would be helpful, small budget £20k but in the Med Greece for example there does apoear opportunities. All the best.